A base of their own in Rock Falls

ROCK FALLS — What started as a post-game ritual became a game-changer for Justin and Seandra Westfall.

When their kids were growing up and playing sports, the Westfalls would often find themselves looking for a place to eat after the game to celebrate a job well done. These days, they’re the ones giving families a place to go, inspired by the meals and memories they shared with their own kids.

The Westfalls are the W in JW’s Third Base, a downtown Rock Falls bar and grill that’s celebrated 20 years of business this year in March. Having been at 207 West Second St. throughout much of its history, the Westfalls announced in early May that the business will move a few doors down later this year to 219 West Second St.

From the business name to the menu, sports are a big part of the Westfall team. Dad Justin — the J in JW’s — was a youth baseball coach, son Braeden played baseball, daughter Jennivee played softball, and the family are die-hard Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans, a team pride that they wear on their sleeves, and JW’s walls.

JW’s name is a nod to sports families’ familiar routine of grabbing a bite to eat before heading home after the game, their last stop at third base before heading home — but the bar isn’t just for sports fans.

“It’s a nice little neighborhood bar and grill with the best wings you’ll ever have,” Justin said. “We have a full menu with pizzas, salads and sandwiches. It’s a nice place for everybody to come and get together with their families, or come after sports events, and sit down and have a good time. We’re not only a restaurant, we’re a sports bar also, and we’ll have different games on TV.”

Sports keeps the place lively, and it’s an atmosphere Justin enjoys seeing each night. Games on TV often become fodder for discussions or debates while customers enjoy pizza, sandwiches, salads, drinks, and those “world famous” chicken wings, as Justin likes to call them and promote on the restaurant’s Facebook page.

What makes the wings, both bone-in and boneless and made with Justin’s own combination of sauces, “world famous?” He’s come to know customers who are from China, Australia, Japan and England who are visiting or passing through who’ve stopped by just to have them, he said. They are available both as a separate entree of 10, or in groups of 20 or 50 to share; and they’re available in any count on Monday when they are on special.

Along with traditional wing sauces, other flavors include teriyaki pineapple, ragin’ Asian, mango habanero, and the newest addition, Daytona sauce, “a sweet, mustardy southern style barbecue,” Justin said.

Pizzas — ranging in size from 10 to 16 inches — come with choices of toppings, with specialty varieties available: macaroni and cheese, chicken Alfredo, chicken club and taco, to name a few. Each specialty pizza is named for a major league baseball team, such as the Cubs All-American Meat, Brewers BLT, and Giants Veggie Style. Buffalo chicken or hot honey drizzle can be added to any pizza for a small price. The Westfalls are always batting around new ideas for pizzas, and added flatbread and Detroit styles this past summer.

Even the selection of salads have their own sports names, honoring local high schools: the Rock Falls Rocket club salad, Sterling Golden Warrior chicken Caesar and Newman Comet classic chicken salad among them.

Other baseball-related names on the menu include the “Field of Dreams” appetizer combo basket, a “T-ballers” menu for kids and seniors with lighter fares, and “Hall of Fame” sandwiches which include a Philly style with choice of roast beef or grilled chicken, Italian beef, club, Cordon bleu, and a cheeseburger with two patties side-by-side between hoagie buns.

Local delivery is available with a $15 minimum order throughout most business hours.

Justin likes to have a menu with offerings that people will talk about, and come back for more.

“We want to be unique so that people will remember when they were here — ‘That’s the place that had the pizzas named after the baseball teams,‘” he said. “We’ve had people come in for 20 years and get their regular things and are like, ‘I didn’t know you had a Cordon bleu; we always just get wings or pizza.‘”

The menu selection comes from Justin’s many years in the restaurant business, beginning when he bussed tables and washed dishes when he was 14. Justin grew up in Rock Falls and his family moved to Sycamore after fourth grade. After serving in the Air Force, he and Seandra lived in Florida, where their children were born, and moved to Rock Falls about 25 years ago. The Westfalls owned a Papa John’s franchise in Rock Falls for a few years before going out on their own with JW’s.

Braeden and Jennivee have helped out at JW’s as they grew up and into adulthood. Braeden is JW’s general manager and has taken over some of the jobs his parents had done for years. When Braeden isn’t running the restaurant, he’s tending to his clothing design business, Authentic Vibes Only, taking a page from his parents’ book as business owners, inspired by their own success.

“I would say that what I like most about working here, working alongside my parents every day,” Braeden said. “It allows me to stay present in their lives even as an adult. And being able to watch how hard they worked to see their dreams really come to fruition and say we did it: It’s allowed me to see how possible it is to chase your dreams and achieve them when you put your mind to it.”

One memorable moment involving father and son at the restaurant was when their beloved Bucs, led by quarterback Tom Brady and linebacker Devin White, won Super Bowl LV in 2021 in Tampa over the Kansas City Chiefs. They had hoped to see the game in person, but with the Super Bowl being such a big day for JW’s, they had to settle for watching it on TV at the business.

Nevertheless, the Westfalls were happy with whipping up around 4,000 wings for dine-in and carryout that day while cheering their team to the big win. Super Bowl Sunday is the busiest day of the year, Justin said.

“It was very nice because I got to watch it with my son because he grew up as a Bucs fan,” Justin said. “For me and him to watch together and them to win the Super Bowl was a one in a lifetime thing. We tried to go down there, but I had to be here; Super Bowl Sunday is our busiest day of the year, so it’s kind of hard to take that off.”

The Westfalls plan to have specials and giveaways to honor 20 years in business come March, celebrating winning combination of sports, food, fellowship and fun.

Once someone stops by the place, Justin said, he’s confident they’ll get hooked.

“When people go out, they’re usually going to places for the atmosphere,” Justin said. “They’re not going somewhere just to sit there and not say anything, so when you socialize and kind of joke around with them, and become friends with them, it’s what they want. I want them to walk out going, ‘This place was really neat.‘”

JW’s Third Base, 207 West Second St. in Rock Falls, is open from 4 to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday. Delivery hours are from 4 to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 4 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 7:45 p.m. Sunday. Find it on Facebook or call 815-632-2070 to place orders or for more information.

Shaw Media reporter Cody Cutter can be reached at 815-632-2532 or ccutter@shawmedia.com.